Carragher hopes to be back for Liverpool in weeks

The defender, recovering from a shoulder injury, remains on course for a first-team return next month, though he admits it's been frustrating watching recent events from the sidelines.

He told liverpoolfc.tv: "The injury is okay. It was originally three months (out) they were saying, so I'm looking to be back at the start of February hopefully if it goes well in the next couple of weeks.

"It has been frustrating. I don't miss many games, fortunately, due to injury. It has been tough and also with the results not going well, missing Kenny's comeback and then the game on Sunday at Anfield is a massive game and one that I'd love to have been involved in.

"Not just because it's a derby game, but also because it's King Kenny's comeback. It's a bad one to miss for me."